Tesla Inc. turned down a $60 million settlement proposal in a lawsuit over a 2019 fatal crash involving its Autopilot-equipped Model S before a Miami federal jury ultimately awarded $243 million in damages earlier this month.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys revealed the rejected settlement in a court filing on Monday as part of a request for legal fees from the electric vehicle maker. Under Florida law, they argued, Tesla must cover legal costs incurred since May 30, when the offer was made.
Neither Tesla nor its lawyers immediately responded to requests for comment, while the plaintiffs’ legal team also declined to comment further.
The trial centred on an April 2019 accident in which a Tesla Model S on Autopilot collided with a parked Chevrolet Tahoe on the shoulder of a highway. Naibel Benavides Leon was killed, and her boyfriend Dillon Angulo was severely injured while standing next to the vehicle.
Jurors awarded a total of $129 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages. Tesla was held liable for 33% of the compensatory damages (about $42.6 million) and all of the punitive damages. The driver of the Tesla was deemed responsible for the remaining 67% of compensatory damages, though he was not a defendant in the case.
Tesla has denied wrongdoing and confirmed plans to appeal the verdict. In a statement, the company said the ruling “only works to set back automotive safety and jeopardise Tesla’s and the entire industry’s efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology.”
The automaker has long promoted its driver-assistance software as a step toward safer, semi-autonomous driving. However, critics argue that Autopilot has contributed to a series of fatal accidents in recent years.
The case marked the first U.S. trial involving the wrongful death of a third party allegedly caused by Tesla’s Autopilot system. While Tesla has faced similar lawsuits over its driver-assistance features, those cases were either resolved before trial or dismissed.
The ruling raises broader questions about liability in autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle technology, an area under increasing scrutiny by regulators, safety advocates, and the automotive industry.
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